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Sydney Safety training team engaged in a group training session, focusing on height safety and safety training in Australia.

Meet The Sydney Safety Training Team

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Sydney Safety Personnel

Sydney Safety Training is now a part of the RIS Safety Group

RISSafety is Australia’s leading Height Safety provider, with a national branch infrastructure to meet our client’s needs anywhere within Australia. With the marketplace becoming increasingly aware of the need for employee protection when working at heights, RISSafety is ideally positioned to provide local and overseas industries with practical solutions for any height safety, confined space, or rope access application.

 

RISSafety designs, manufacture, and distribute an extensive range of tested and standards compliant range of products, including permanent anchor points, horizontal and vertical fall protection systems, aluminum and fiberglass ladders and walkway systems, fall arrest retractable blocks (inertia reels), tripods and winches for confined space, as well as having its range of standards-approved personal protective equipment (PPE).

RIS logo representing height safety and access solutions, emphasizing the importance of safety training in Australia.

Bob Taylor, a qualified WHS professional and trainer at Sydney Safety, focused on delivering height safety, confined space, and safety training across Australia.

Bob Taylor

Sydney Safety Training was established by Bob Taylor, who spent the first 12 years of his working life as an officer in the Australian Army. He started his career as a platoon commander in an infantry battalion, before being accepted into Special Forces. After 3 years in Perth Bob was sent on exchange for 2 years with the US Navy’s SEAL Team in San Diego as their Training Cell Officer. On his return to Australia he was the Adjutant of 1 Commando Regiment.

Upon leaving the Army in 1982 Bob became a principal of a large retail scuba training company in Sydney. Over the past ten years due to market forces he redirected his business from diving to work health and safety. Sydney Safety Training has now emerged as one of Sydney’s most professional and progressive WHS training companies.

Bob is now responsible for the smooth transition of Sydney Safety Training into the RISSafety family. There are no real changes at SST, so when visiting we continue on as before., but now we have a greater capability under the ownership of RISSafety.

Luke Downie, a qualified WHS professional, smiling in a blue shirt, representing the Sydney Safety Training team.

Luke Downie

Luke Downie is the Operations Manager of Sydney Safety Training. Luke is responsible for all the behind-the-scenes management issues that keep the place running smoothly and efficiently. He is in the complaints department, the course booking department, the help me if you can department, also I got a problem department. Luke was responsible for a large recreational diving centre for the past 28 years. In that role he developed strong skills in business development, and brings great customer relation skills to this organisation. If you have a problem with WHS at your workplace, call Luke, as he will help you out. He is also a keen fisherman, golfer, and cricketer with a wonderful family, which includes three daughters. That is why he is loosing his hair.

Lara Field, a qualified WHS professional and member of the Sydney Safety Training team, smiling in a blue shirt.

Lara Field

Lara Field is our Office Manager. Lara made a huge impact on this company when she arrived in 2014. She brought us out of the 18th century and into the 21st in all aspects of administration, bookkeeping, and student management. Administering an RTO is a huge job requiring lots of attention to detail and dedication, Lara has this. She accepted the challenge of VETtrak, an RTO compliant student management system and now has tamed it. The way she breezes through MYOB and extracts data at the drop of a hat is always amazing. Lara is a wonderful administrator and is the go-to person for financial queries or student records.

Vince Ratcliffe, an experienced trainer at Sydney Safety, smiling in a black polo shirt, representing the qualified team delivering safety training across Australia.

Vince Ratcliffe

Vince is our Service Technician. He is the person responsible for testing and tagging all your safety PPE, calibrating your gas monitors testing breathing systems and generally sorting any safety gear issues that you might have. Vince is the man you will meet in his little SST van if you need product delivered urgently to the site or you need site inspections of safety gear. Vince came to us after being an area supervisor for a large cleaning contractor. Prior to that, Vince was the owner and operator of a delivery vehicle across Sydney. Vince is a qualified dogman and has his high-risk crane license. He is married with four kids and lives in the Penrith area.

Front Office Staff

  • Bob Taylor, a qualified WHS professional and trainer at Sydney Safety, focused on delivering height safety, confined space, and safety training across Australia.

    Bob Taylor

    EX CEO

    Sydney Safety Training was established by Bob Taylor, who spent the first 12 years of his working life as an officer in the Australian Army. He started his career as a platoon commander in an infantry battalion, before being accepted into Special Forces. After 3 years in Perth Bob was sent on exchange for 2 years with the US Navy’s SEAL Team in San Diego as their Training Cell Officer. On his return to Australia he was the Adjutant of 1 Commando Regiment.

    Upon leaving the Army in 1982 Bob became a principal of a large retail scuba training company in Sydney. Over the past ten years due to market forces he redirected his business from diving to work health and safety. Sydney Safety Training has now emerged as one of Sydney’s most professional and progressive WHS training companies.

    Bob is now responsible for the smooth transition of Sydney Safety Training into the RISSafety family. There are no real changes at SST, so when visiting we continue on as before., but now we have a greater capability under the ownership of RISSafety.

  • Luke Downie, a qualified WHS professional, smiling in a blue shirt, representing the Sydney Safety Training team.

    Luke Downie

    Operations Manager

    Luke Downie is the Operations Manager of Sydney Safety Training. Luke is responsible for all the behind-the-scenes management issues that keep the place running smoothly and efficiently. He is in the complaints department, the course booking department, the help me if you can department, also I got a problem department. Luke was responsible for a large recreational diving centre for the past 28 years. In that role he developed strong skills in business development, and brings great customer relation skills to this organisation. If you have a problem with WHS at your workplace, call Luke, as he will help you out. He is also a keen fisherman, golfer, and cricketer with a wonderful family, which includes three daughters. That is why he is loosing his hair.

  • Lara Field, a qualified WHS professional and member of the Sydney Safety Training team, smiling in a blue shirt.

    Lara Field

    RTO & Accounts Manager

    Lara Field is our Office Manager. Lara made a huge impact on this company when she arrived in 2014. She brought us out of the 18th century and into the 21st in all aspects of administration, bookkeeping, and student management. Administering an RTO is a huge job requiring lots of attention to detail and dedication, Lara has this. She accepted the challenge of VETtrak, an RTO compliant student management system and now has tamed it. The way she breezes through MYOB and extracts data at the drop of a hat is always amazing. Lara is a wonderful administrator and is the go-to person for financial queries or student records.

  • Vince Ratcliffe, an experienced trainer at Sydney Safety, smiling in a black polo shirt, representing the qualified team delivering safety training across Australia.

    Vince Ratcliffe

    Service Technician

    Vince is our Service Technician. He is the person responsible for testing and tagging all your safety PPE, calibrating your gas monitors testing breathing systems and generally sorting any safety gear issues that you might have. Vince is the man you will meet in his little SST van if you need product delivered urgently to the site or you need site inspections of safety gear. Vince came to us after being an area supervisor for a large cleaning contractor. Prior to that, Vince was the owner and operator of a delivery vehicle across Sydney. Vince is a qualified dogman and has his high-risk crane license. He is married with four kids and lives in the Penrith area.

Training Staff

  • Portrait of Grahame Selleck, an experienced trainer at Sydney Safety, specializing in height safety and confined space training.

    Grahame Selleck

    Grahame Selleck is a Certificate 1V Workplace Trainer and Assessor for confined space and height safety training courses. He has been actively involved as a trainer since 1997. His training career commenced in the recreational diving industry, where he is a NAUI Instructor Trainer, a PADI Dive Instructor, a TDI Instructor Trainer, as well as a DAN O2 and First Aid Instructor.

    Grahame has a background in motor vehicle engineering, but in the last 10 years, he has specialized in the service, maintenance, and repair of life support equipment for the recreational diving industry. Grahame is qualified to inspect and tag height safety equipment, calibrate gas detection equipment, and service self-contained breathing apparatus.

    Grahame has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience from industry into his role as a workplace trainer. His workplace training skills ensure all participants gain the maximum value and enjoyment from the training being presented.

  • Andrew Baverstock, experienced trainer at Sydney Safety, smiling against a neutral background, specializing in WHS, height safety, and confined space training.

    Andrew Baverstock

    Andrew Baverstock is another seasoned Cert IV Workplace Trainer. He has joined SST with a long history in the electrical and packaging industries and teaches confined space entry, safe working at heights, and asbestos removal. Andrew is a very thorough & relaxed trainer who brings a broad range of workplace skills to the training room. He spent many years with Tetra Pak in customer service as a training manager, technical training & field service engineer. Prior to Tetra Pak, he worked extensively as an electrical tradesperson for NSW Electricity Commission, Haden Electrical & Magic Door Industries. So Andrew brings a broad base of industry experience to SST, which compliments his training role now with SST.

  • Gerard Smith, an experienced trainer at Sydney Safety, specializes in height safety and confined space training across Australia.

    Gerard Smith

    Gerard Smith joined SST in 2019 as a Cert IV Workplace Trainer. Gerard originally started his working life as a panel beater, where he practiced his trade for 8 years. He then took a break from the industry for one year when he completed a level 2 rope access course and worked as a rope access technician. He returned to the panel trade as a Panel Shop Supervisor in 2010 for a further 4 years. In 2014, Gerard went back to the rope access industry as a rope access technician, height safety equipment installer & project manager. He joined Sydney Safety Training in 2019 and has specialized in teaching asbestos removal, safe working at heights, and confined space entry. Gerard has a very easygoing nature and gets the best from his students.

  • Duane, a qualified trainer from Sydney Safety, smiling in a polo shirt, representing the experienced team delivering safety training across Australia.

    Duane French

    Duane French is a Certificate IV Workplace Trainer and Assessor for height safety training courses. Duane has been a workplace trainer since 1992 in the building industry. Duane is also a confined space standby/rescuer, a royal saving instructor, and a PADI Dive Instructor.

    Duane is a carpenter and joiner, clerk of works, and workplace trainer, and holds a current builders license. He currently teaches scuba diving most weekends. Duane’s years of experience in the building industry as a builder and workplace trainer come through in his classes to make him a very passionate and experienced trainer who really gets the best out of his students. Coming from the building industry, he has seen the right and wrong ways of working at heights and brings that practical knowledge to his students to take back to the workplace.

  • Demond Howie, a qualified WHS professional, smiling in a safety training team uniform, representing Sydney Safety's experienced trainers.

    Desmond Howie

    Des is an inspirational trainer who helps his audience learn the skills they need to become safe and valuable employees. His enthusiastic and engaging training delivery style has resulted in positive feedback from Students who are inspired to apply their newly acquired skills in their workplace.
     Des has 37 years’ experience in the construction industry, with 21yrs in the State Emergency Service. He is truly an asset to SST.
  • Norman Doyle, an experienced trainer at Sydney Safety, smiling for the camera. Part of the team delivering qualified WHS training in height safety and confined spaces across Australia.

    Norman Doyle

    With a career spanning several industries and decades of hands-on experience, he began his working life as a bricklayer, paver, and landscaper, developing a strong work ethic and practical skills from an early age. He then spent several years in transport and warehousing, including interstate driving, gaining valuable experience in logistics, responsibility, and teamwork.

    The majority of his professional career was proudly spent with Qantas, where he worked for 25 years as a Senior Trainer and Assessor in catering. During this time, he was dedicated to mentoring staff, maintaining high operational standards, and supporting the development of safe and efficient workplace practices.

    More recently, he joined Sydney Safety Training, where he is proud to now be part of the Sydney Safety Training family. He looks forward to continuing to share his experience, knowledge, and passion for training and workplace safety with both colleagues and students alike.

  • Paigan Graham, an experienced trainer at Sydney Safety, smiling and ready to deliver safety training in height safety and confined space across Australia.

    Paigan Graham

    Meet Paigan, our Administrative Assistant! Joining Sydney Safety Training in October 2025, Paigan works three days a week to keep our daily operations ticking like clockwork. From managing student enrolments to providing essential office support, she plays a vital role in our mission to deliver top-tier safety training. She is dedicated to supporting both our trainers and students during her days in the office.

  • Peter Tranter, experienced trainer at Sydney Safety, smiling in front of a neutral background, contributing to WHS training in height safety and confined space across Australia.

    Peter Tranter

    A highly experienced Work Health and Safety (WHS) and Quality Assurance professional with over 40 years’ experience working across high-risk industries, including mining, oil and gas, construction, energy, defence, and manufacturing. Recognised for exceptional expertise in risk management, safety systems, emergency response, and high-risk training development, he has worked extensively with government bodies, major corporations, and international organisations.

    He has successfully managed a national WHS-focused organisation and has extensive hands-on experience as a life support technician in the offshore oil and gas sector and as a mine rescue worker in New South Wales. His work has included developing industry-leading safety systems, implementing ISO 9001 quality assurance programs, and designing specialised training programs delivered across Australia and internationally.

    An expert in high-risk work environments, his services include risk assessment, incident investigation, auditing, emergency preparedness, safety system development, and specialised WHS training. He has contributed to safety improvements across diverse sectors and has supported organisations in meeting regulatory, accreditation, and contractual safety requirements.

    Driven by a commitment to protecting lives in high-risk workplaces, he works with organisations to strengthen safety culture, prevent incidents, and ensure effective emergency response capability.